Safety attachment for pocket-books



(No Model.)

E. D. SCOTT. SAFETY ATTACHMENT FOR POCKET BOOKS.

Patented Nov; 17,1891" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELMER D. SCOTT, OF VEST CLEVELAND, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND ALBERT E. LYNCH AND \VILLIAM E. DONNELLY, BOTH OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

SAFETY ATTACHMENT FOR POCKET-BOOKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 463,169, dated November 17, 1891.

Application filed September 11, 1890. Serial No. 864,613. (No model.)

To all whom! it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELMER D. SCOTT, of West Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Attachments.

for Pocket-Books; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to safety devices for preventing the loss or theft of pocket-books, satchels, reticules, or like portable receptacles, or the contents thereof.

My invention consists in providing means for attaching the receptacle to the apparel of the wearer and combining therewith a cheap, simple, safe, and effective locking device, offering no inconvenience to the ordinary manipulation of said receptacle, which will, while permitting of easy access to the contents thereof at the pleasure of the user, keep the receptacle securely closed when not in use and prevent it from opening and dropping its contents shouldit he accidentally let fall; and it further consists in the peculiar construction and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out-in the claims.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, as follows:

Figure 1 represents in perspective a pocketbook With the improved safety attachment secured thereto. Fig. 2 represents an end elevation, partly in section, of the same device enlarged. Fig. 3 represents in plan the same device open. Fig. 4 represents in perspective a satchel with the improved attachments thereon. Fig. 5 represents in end elevation a pocket-book with the safety-chain attachment extending around the same. Fig. 6 rep resents in perspective a long pocket-book with the chain attachment secured near its opposite ends. Fig. 7 represents my improved safety device constructed with a cord'or guard to pass around the neck of the user.

Like letters of reference denote like parts throughout the several figures.

In the drawings, Arepresents a flexible cord or chain of any suitable material and of sufficient strength to resist any violent jerk to which it might be subjected. One end of said cord or chain A is securely attached at Z) in any preferred manner to one side or flap of pocket-book B. The other or free end of cord or cable A may be provided with a clasp, hook, safetypin, button-engaging loop, or other suitable device for attaching said chain, cord, or cable to any preferred part of the ap parel of the user. the receptacle B, and preferably opposite the point of attachment of chain, cord, or cable A, is secured the ring or loop I). This ring or loop I) may be rigidly secured in position; but I prefer that it be attached in such manher that it may swing freely from its point of attachment. This construction facilitates the play of chain, cord, or cable A through ring Z). It also permits ring or loop I) to fall over and engage with a stud, button, hook, head, or like catch independent of or continuous with chain A at its point of attachment to the receptacle, thereby formin g an auxiliary looking device, if desired.

Chain, cord, or cable A and ring I) having been secured in their respective positions, as described, the free end of said chain,cord, or

' cable A is drawn through ring I), and my improved device is now ready for use. The free end of chain, cord, or cable A is attached to any convenient part of the apparel and the receptacle placed in the pocket or carried, as desired. It will be seen that by drawing the chain, cord, or cable through the ring the sides or flaps of the receptacle will be drawn together and securely held in closed relation. At the same time the receptacle can be ma nipulated in the same manner and with the same ease and celerity as if it were not equipped with my improved device.

\Vhile many methods of attaching the chain, cord, or cable and ring or loop in their respective positions to the receptacle will readily suggest themselves, and While I do not intend to limit myself in these respects, I will 5 describe what I have found to be simple and effective ways of applying my invention to the various. general descriptions of portable receptacles now in the market. a

I will first describe the application of my IOO To the other flap or sidecf 6o invention to receptacles of the general class shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3namely, those which open like an ordinary book. It is obvious that plates or clamps having eyes could be secured to the sides, lids, or flaps by riveting orotherwise, and the chain and ring be attached to said eye-clamps. However, in the case of receptacles of old or weak material the fastening-clamps might be torntherefrom by a violent pull on the'chain. I have therefore devised the following method of attachment, which I regard as a feature of great utility in my improved device. To the ends of each of the flaps or sides of said receptacle opposite its back I fix a bar or'rod. (Shown in section at 0.) These rods may rest in the bottom of the ordinary pockets in said flaps or may beheld in position by doubling the material of said flaps over them, and may extend part way or entirely across said flaps, or, if desired, may extend entirely around said flaps in the form of a frame. To these rods or bars are riveted or otherwise firmly secured eyes, which extend outward through the material of the flaps, and to which the chain and ring, respectively, are attached. This construction, as will be readily seen, renders it impossible to tear the chain or ring fastening device from the receptacle by any sudden or violent pullsuch, for instance, as that to which it would be subjected in case a thief snatched the receptacle. Moreover, these rods or bars serve to stiffen the sides or flaps and thereby aid in preserving the shape of said pocket-book or receptacle. In the case of very long pocket-books of this description a double chain and ring connection, as shown in Fig. 6, can, if desired, be employed.

Fig. 4 shows at F the application of my improvement to a receptacle of the class used for carrying coin. The chain and ring are respectively attached to eyes or equivalent holdin g devices fixed in the opposing metallic j awframes of said receptacle. Fig. 4 also shows in dotted lines at G and G the application of my invention to a receptacle of the class generally known as ladies satchels or chat-- elaines. As a receptacleof this classis usually. suspended from the waist of the wearer, its suspension by means of a single chain-andring device, as described, while thoroughly effective as regards the purpose and practical operation of my invention, might, however, permit of a swinging movement of the receptacle objectionable to some persons, especially when walking, &c. In such cases, therefore, I employ two of my improved devices, one being arranged on each side of the middle of the metallic jaw-frames thereof, as shown at G and G. Here two independent chains or cords, each terminating in safety-pins or other clothes-engaging devices, might be employed, or both chains might terminate in a single clothes engaging device, or a single chain might pass from one side of said receptacle to the other and engage at each end with the ring or loop and be provided at its middle portion with a clothes-engaging device. The advantages secured by the application of my invention to satchels are obvious and manifold. It frequently happens that ladies in the haste incident to shopping, or by reason of wornont catches, fail to securely fasten the satchel as ordinarily used. As a result, said satchels open and remain open without the knowledge of the owner, expose the contents thereof to public view, and permit the same to fall out and be lost.

My improved device renders it impossible for a satchel to remain open, except at the will of the operator.

If desired, my invention may be applied as illustrated in Fig. 5. Here the cord or chain is attached to the side or jaw at the point of attachment of the loop or ring and passes around the receptacle, being guided by rings a b and engaging with the ring 1), as in the constructions hereinbefore described. It will be seen that any attempt to pull the receptacle by means of the chain from the pocket of the wearer will cause the receptacle, by reason of the play of the chain through the ring, to buckle or double up, thereby effectually preventing its surreptitious withdrawal from said pocket. A like effect may be obtained by winding the chain or cord in the'constructions shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3., 4E, and 6 once or twice around the receptacle before placing in the pocket.

From the foregoing it will be seen that my invention can be readily applied directly to pocket-books, satchels, &c., of the general descriptions now in the market, as well as to new styles, which may be designed for special use therewith. It will also be seen that by reason of the automatic operation of the cord or chain and ring'device the receptacle will remain securely closed in case it should fall from the handsor pocket of the owner, and the greater the weight of material therein contained the tighter will its sides or jaws be drawn together.

Itis manifest that a wide range is possible in the special construction of devices embodying my invention,-adapting it for. use with pocket-books and receptacles of different kinds, and I therefore wish itto be understood that I do not limit myself, narrowly, to any special details of construction.

What I claim is 1. .In a safety attachment for pocket-books or similar receptacles, the combination of a flexible connection attached to one side or flap of said receptacle and loosely engaging the other side or flap, whereby when the weight of the receptacle falls on the flexible connection the said receptacle automatically closes, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the lids or jaws of a pocket-book, shopping-bag, or like portreceptacle, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. In a safetyattachment for pocket-books and similar portable receptacles, the combination, with a ring or loop attached to one side or flap of said receptacle and adapted to engage with and slide freely upon a chain or cord secured to the opposing flap, of a head or catch secured to said opposing flap at or about the point of attachment thereto of said chain or cord and adapted to engage with a ring or loop and hold the flaps or sides of said receptacle in closed relation, substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. In a safety attachment for pocket-books and similar portable receptacles, a ring or loop secured to a rod or bar in one side or flap of said receptacle and adapted to engage with and slide freely upon a cord or chain secured to the opposing side orfiap of said receptacle, substantially as and forthe purposes specified. 5. The combination of a pocket-book B, cord or chain A, garment-en gaging device A, ring Z), stud or catch D, and rods 0, all of said parts being constructed and arranged as described, and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses this 13th day of August, 1890.

ELMER D. SCOTT.

\Vitn esses:

O. H. DORER, WARD HOOVER. 

